About Mae

Mae Lu is a Canada-born, So-Cal-raised Asian American 30 Something, living a dream with her hubby & dog in the magical kingdom of Hawaii.

This red-lipstick aficionado designs websites for a living and runs a fledgling lifestyle YouTube Channel in her spare time. On the weekends, if she's not filming, you can find her behind the lens of her Sony A6000, shooting scenery in Hawaii, hiking the hills and ridges of her beloved island home, or chasing the perfect sunset.

Why "thereafterish."? Because "and they lived happily ever thereafter" is just half of every story, and this is mine.

I wore this a couple weeks ago when the weather was booty here in Honolulu. It’s not cold for most of you, but it was freezing for me. So glad I saved my lace stockings from when I used to live in Detroit. WIN.

So, after winning a ShopBop giveaway last month, I was finally able to snag my first James Perse T-shirt. Given the $50-65 price tag, I’d never justify nor entertain the idea of buying one. Why you try to gut me, luxe T designers? I’ll cut you.

But seriously, dude, why so expensive?

If you never feel one or try it on, you won’t get it. They are, just as the description and label infers, luxuriously comfortable and soft. Immediately out of the packaging, I could feel a difference between my $5 regular cotton Ts and my slightly more pricey $20 American Apparel T. The weave is more delicate with finer thread, so the cotton feels more silky or creamy against the skin. Think a smooth pudding versus a creamy oatmeal. Or satin versus muslin. That’s the difference between James Perse and a normal Hanes T.

Question: Are James Perse Tees worth the money? Let’s see.

Secondly, the shirts are manufactured Stateside. Not in some cramped, dark, horrible factory in Bangladesh or China or Southeast Asia. (Granted, there may be issues concerning the working conditions of American clothing manufacturing facilities which need further looking into… But US made is important.) US made products are usually more expensive, especially from luxury brands. However, some of that high price tag goes to supporting American manufacturer jobs. At least you’d hope.

Thirdly, after 3 wears, the fabric still didn’t pill or ball up even with friction of my tote bag and wearing jackets over it. This means high marks from me, since Ts Ive bought from other companies that charge $60+ for Ts (Ahem, MinkPink!) ended up pilling and showing wear in the pit region after only two wears.

With how amazing the fabric feels on, and against my skin, I feel like I understand the high price tag of some of these T Shirts. Will I pay $65 for a plain T if I didn’t have a gift code for it? Probably not without great debate… And I’d probably super lurk and cyber stalk the item until it goes on sale and snag a couple instead of paying full price. But the bottom line is that I get it. Would I pay $100+ for a basic T? Absolutely not, but at the $45-65 range, it’s reasonable. And besides, if its something you’ll wear regularly, you might as well get something of quality that will last and wear well, rather than something cheap like a $10 T shirt that will start looking grungy, worn out or gross after 6 washes and you have to demote to cleaning rag status or donate. (What chic thrifter will want a worn out T, anyway?)

One con to these luxury tees, price notwithstanding, is the care involved. My James Perse T is no throw-it-in-with-the-socks type. You have to read the care label and wash accordingly and with care. I put my tee in a lingerie mesh bag and washed it on gentle cycle with my lacy unmentionables and bras. And, instead of throwing it in the dryer, I hung it on a velvet flocked hanger and let it air dry. (Lying flat would’ve been better, but we don’t have space for a drying rack in our house.) It should be steamed, not ironed, to preserve the integrity of the tissue-thin cotton.

Most people will not go to these lengths to care for their Ts. And, in that case, I’d say your shirt won’t last as long. But is it still worth the price? Mostly.

For those whose throats constrict just thinking about splashing out that much for a mere T-shirt, but still want a good quality USA made T, American Apparel shirts are pretty good and only cost $20ish. I’ve had my deep v cotton T for ages (maybe 5+ years?), and it still feels great, but that piece is pilled to sh*t and the v is too sexy-deep for a busty girl like mahself to bust out without a tank under (a whole OTHER problem with Amurrican Appurl altogether). If you can’t justify either of those for a T-SHIRT, stick with Fruit of the Loom. They’re comfy. But they’re still lumpy oatmeal and not silky chocolate pudding. Just sayin’.

Point is: yes. I can see the reasons behind the price. Will I be willing to pay it for real next time, yes, if it’s in the budget. But I’d rather wait for it to go on sale. Do I want more James Perse Ts? You bet your ass I do, toots.

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FTC Disclaimer: Not a sponsored video, contains affiliate links. Any opinions expressed in this video are mine and mine alone, and are my personal and honest opinion. This video is not intended to influence any viewers or to malign any of the manufacturers or product companies mentioned. Any representation, statistic, quote or product claim should be verified by the party in question. Video creator is not responsible for the content in any comments on or responses to this video. Music obtained from http://freemusicarchive.org – Music is all royalty free and approved for use by artists through the Free Music Archive user agreement.

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About Mae

Mae Lu is a Canada-born, So-Cal-raised Asian American 30 Something, living a dream with her hubby & dog in the magical kingdom of Hawaii.

This red-lipstick aficionado designs websites for a living and runs a fledgling lifestyle YouTube Channel in her spare time. On the weekends, if she's not filming, you can find her behind the lens of her Sony A6000, shooting scenery in Hawaii, hiking the hills and ridges of her beloved island home, or chasing the perfect sunset.

Why "thereafterish."? Because "and they lived happily ever thereafter" is just half of every story, and this is mine.